Prospective md/phd reapplicant questions

[Garrison1]

I applied this cycle straight md, (thinking it was easier to get in this way and then switch over to md/phd later), with little luck (3 waitlists).
The md/phd is much more in-line with my career goals (research), and where I would be more comfortable.
I have 2 years of astrophysics research under my belt, including an independent project, but no pubs.
Other stats are 3.94 gpa, 40mcat, 200 hrs hospital volunteer, some community service, etc.

Do you think someone like me might have a better chance getting in md/phd than straight md?
Should my plan for the year off focus more on doing medically-related research or improving my ECs?

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[SpeakLittleB]

i'd say do some research and apply md/phd. i believe it's just as hard or harder to switch over once u're in an md program. someone else check me on that.

 

[AtmaWeapon]

how did you not get in any med schools with those stats???

did you only apply to like 5 med schools all in top 10? :T remember the top 10-20 or so med schools are like a crapshoot to get into even with amazing stats.

anyway if mdphd is what you want, i'd just apply to it straight up next year.

 

[Garrison1]

how did you not get in any med schools with those stats???

did you only apply to like 5 med schools all in top 10? :T remember the top 10-20 or so med schools are like a crapshoot to get into even with amazing stats.

anyway if mdphd is what you want, i'd just apply to it straight up next year.

I applied to 13 schools, 8 of which were top 20 and 3 of the remaining 5 are very selective. I got 7 interviews and 3 straight rejections post-interview (including my state school). I think my biggest weakness was not being able to convince interviewers that I wanted to see patients all the time. I really think that the fact that I am much more interested in the science/academic side of medicine as opposed to the humanitarian side hurt me. Even if I get off a waitlist this year I'm going to try and switch to md/phd.

I guess my main question for reapplying to md/phd is whether or not I should seek medically-related research experience, as opposed to shoring up clinical experience or going international, since my other research experience has nothing to do with medicine.

 

[ThatOne]

I'd say wait a year, if the MD-PhD is what you really really want, it's worthwhile, and you might as well take a shot at avoiding two years worth of med-school debt. Yes, your stats suggest to me getting into an MD-PhD program would be easier for you than a straight MD program anyway.

MD-PhD programs generally care more about research than extracurriculars. I'd say medically-related clinical (or better yet basic) research would be the way to go.